Mike Monroe: Sloan received unfair slight

Forgotten in the aftermath of Michael Jordan’s game-winning, title-clinching shot over Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals: Two critical referee decisions that loomed large in Chicago’s victory over Utah.

Guard Howard Eisley nailed a 3-pointer as the shot clock neared expiration on a Jazz possession late in the first half.

Referee Dick Bavetta ruled Eisley hadn’t released the shot in time, even waving off a fellow referee who tried to convince him otherwise. Televised replays showed Eisley’s release beat the clock by a full second.

In the second half, a shot by Bulls guard Ron Harper was counted. Replays showed it was released a fraction after the shot clock expired.

Video review wasn’t allowed in those days. The calls stood.

The story goes that before the first Jazz game Bavetta worked the next season, he approached Jerry Sloan and apologized for kicking the calls.

According to friends who remain close to Sloan, the great Jazz coach was speechless. The man who hired him in Utah, Frank Layden, was not. Reportedly, Layden told Bavetta where he could stick his apology. Reportedly, Sloan smiled.

Now Sloan is gone from the Jazz bench for the first time in 23 seasons, the elusive NBA title forever beyond his grasp.

Bavetta remains, still sorry.

Sloan heads to retirement, and lacking an NBA title is not something over which he will lose sleep. You play the games, you accept the results. Even when they don’t go your way, even when a blown call might have made things different.

What likely bothers Sloan far more is never getting a chance to lead Team USA in the Olympic basketball tournament.

When NBA players joined the Olympic mix in 1992, USA Basketball wisely decided to put an NBA coach in charge. Detroit’s Chuck Daly, who had led the Pistons to back-to-back titles, was named head coach of the Dream Team, with Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens his top assistant.

In 1996, Wilkens ascended to the head coach’s chair, with Sloan beside him.

Sloan seemed in line to be the head coach in 2000, but then something happened. An NBA labor dispute turned ugly, and the owners locked out the players before the 1998 FIBA World Championships. NBA players who were to play for then-Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich on Team USA backed out. Tomjanovich fielded a team of collegians and managed a third-place finish.

When it came time to select the head coach for the 2000 Olympics, USA Basketball rewarded Tomjanovich for his work in 1998. Rudy T. got the Olympic job. Sloan got passed over, and NBA commissioner David Stern did not wield his considerable influence at USA Basketball to prevent a snub that still stings Sloan.

That flowery statement Stern issued after Sloan’s resignation on Thursday would have rung more sincerely had he not had a hand in hurting the great man in 2000.